2015 Notes from the Marking Centre – Chinese Continuers
Introduction
This document has been produced for the teachers and candidates of the Stage 6 Chinese Continuers course. It contains comments on candidate responses to the 2015 Higher School Certificate examination, indicating the quality of the responses and highlighting their relative strengths and weaknesses.
This document should be read along with:
- the Chinese Continuers Stage 6 Syllabus
- the 2015 Higher School Certificate Chinese Continuers examination
- the marking guidelines
- Advice for students attempting HSC languages examinations, and HSC Languages oral examinations – advice to students
- Advice for HSC students about examinations
- other support documents developed by the Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards NSW to assist in the teaching and learning of Chinese in Stage 6.
Oral examination
Characteristics of better responses:
- a wide range of vocabulary and complex sentence structures were used effectively
- the flow of conversation was maintained coherently and confidently
- an excellent understanding of the topics with detailed elaboration was demonstrated
- an awareness of the differences between Chinese and Australian cultures was displayed
- pronunciation and intonation were accurate and clear.
Characteristics of weaker responses:
- misinterpretation or limited understanding of the questions asked were displayed
- a limited range of vocabulary and sentence structures was used
- short, abrupt or rote-learnt responses were provided
- inadequate information was provided without any elaboration
- pronunciation and intonation were poor.
Section I – Listening
Characteristics of better responses:
- accurate and detailed information was identified
- information from the texts was well analysed and effectively used
- logical inferences were made with sufficient textual support
- a comprehensive understanding of the texts was demonstrated.
Characteristics of weaker responses:
- a limited understanding of the texts was displayed
- the questions and parts of the texts were misinterpreted
- accurate and sufficient supporting details were omitted
- translations of the texts were provided rather than the questions being addressed.
Section II – Reading and Responding
Characteristics of better responses:
- relevant details from the texts were included to support opinions
- texts were analysed perceptively
- textual references were effectively used to justify a point of view
- personal views about the issues raised were expressed in appropriate language registers
- language features used to convey meaning were analysed perceptively.
Characteristics of weaker responses:
- questions were misinterpreted
- insufficient information was given to support answers
- limited analytical skills were displayed
- limited ability to synthesise information as cross-references was displayed
- a limited range of vocabulary and sentence structures was used.
Section III – Writing in Chinese
Characteristics of better responses:
- a wide range of vocabulary and language structures was used
- correct text types were used
- the requirement of the questions was addressed in depth
- the ability to reflect in a perceptive and logical way was demonstrated.
Characteristics of weaker responses:
- incorrect vocabulary and incomplete sentence structures were used
- sequence of ideas was not logical
- brief and superficial answers were given
- points of view were expressed incoherently or without elaboration.